The Fabulous Lorraine and her Fiends invite you in......In Where? In here, where anything probably can and will happen. Be Welcome. Be very welcome.....(Cue Evil Laughter...)

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

A Dog Post For a Change....

As many of you have already seem to have heard, Cabal the Dog does have a bit of a problem, and will be needing surgery tomorrow.

He's been limping a bit lately, tho not consistently, which at first we thought might be a sore paw, or a strain, but then he seemed to have trouble with stairs, and jumping into the 4-runner, or getting up and down. X-rays reveled a torn ligament, and our vet recommend a specialist at the U.

I took him down today for his consult, and the Nice Surgeon Lady told us that yes, it was torn, and had also torn away the bone as well, giving him, in fact, a broken leg. (In our defense this Dog did not APPEAR to be in pain, or slow down in any way, as far as running and playing went, just a bit sore from time to time, and we did get him vetted as soon as we saw it wasn't going away.)

No idea how he did it, but he is really active, could have happened with a miss-step at any time.

She explained the surgery to me in detail, even drawing the procedure out for me. Here's a picture of it for you, so it will be as clear to you what they are doing as it is to me...

She then puled it up on the computer, and talked of pins and plates, and recovery and such...

The Doctors are confident that he will make a complete recovery. He will not be able to climb stairs tho, or be outside off-leash for six weeks, and may have to wear a cone.

He can't slip, so we will be getting more carpets for his area of the house, which is tile, and getting in a lot of sand, so he will not slip while walking. Kona, his girlfriend who comes with her friend to walk and romp thru the woods 4 days a week, and Freckles, his best buddy who comes for playdates, will not be able to come over for a while.

They wanted to do this surgery right away, and needed a lot of blood work and such, so Cabel is staying there tonight, with surgery in the morning, and will be home Friday.

Cabal is so beautiful. I was just thinking about how he is really a rescue too and how that beautiful white coat was hidden when first you knew him. It is amazing to consider the impact that the choices of a couple of humans have had on all of these animals.

Noting quite that serious, but Grendel has had various surgeries, and it is SO hard keeping them under control once they feel better.

And I know exactly what you mean about it not bothering Cabal. Grendel is an old boy, and is developing arthritis. If he overexerts himself he has trouble getting up and limps for a couple days, which bothers us a lot and him really not at all.

Oh poor Cabal and poor you, Fablo, as it probably makes more work for you!! And you have increasing work *anyway* -- bummer. Keeping dogs quiet and not so mobile is almost impossible, I know. My two bigger dogs once ate rat poison (we had had professionally installed and were assured that the containers were completely bite-and-destroy proof. Uhm, no. No, they weren't.) and part of the treatment involved keeping them very quiet. For a month. Eeek. I'm so sorry for all of you!!

Well, it will be a bit more work yes, Boss is out of town this weekend as of now, so I will be couch sleeping at his place until Monday, I don't think Cabel should be alone , even for me to run home and feed Bengals.

We've worked out a schedule , Merry Housekeeper , Hans and I, so that I can get home to Bengal.

Briefly anyway. Going to spend as much time as possible with them until then. Magic has explored the new futon and not peed on it, and he came out to play, all good.

The room is starting to be a cool room, and not a closet/foster room, since I am going to be spending much time there...

I am worried about Cabel, and taking care of him on my own tho...HATED leaving him, which we tried to make as least traumatic as possible, but didn't go well

I imagine the poor dog feels quite abandoned. First his pack leader leaves, again and then you leave him at the vets.We are hoping this is the same operation Shiraz won't need this year - but its looking like it will happen. Damned big dogs and their energy and goofy playing style.Magic is wonderful!

Oh, I meant to say - I'm betting the painkiller they have him on will keep him pretty quiet this weekend Lorraine. Shiraz has been on Tramadol for the last week for pain killing and to sedate her a little, because she has inflamed that ligament and her arthritis.She's not allowed off leash at all now because of the damage she keeps doing to herself (except in the backyard)

He's our first dog ever, and he is a great one. He'll be good, tho Boss winced a bit at the $$ when I told him. Don't get me wrong, he said of course, I did the right thing and yes do it, but it is going to be a lot of $$.

Adriana, I am so getting a massage tomorrow to your new cd! ( http://www.theendlessband.com) I am in the process of upgrading my tendinitis to carpal tunnel from playing so much, and think it will be perfect to scream to.

Poor guys.He's a big strong dog with high pain tolerance, so he won't be real patient with not being able to romp.

Another helpful hint (my Labs were famous for this)- if he's in a cone watch out. They don't seem to know where the cone ends and the next person begins, so there will be the odd sudden shove from behind.

Poor sweetie- the separation was tough I'm sure, but they are sooo good there, and he will have someone visiting him all the time. The students just love to spoil the animals.

Poor Cabal. Surgery isn't cheap for anyone, regardless of genus and species. The recovery is no fun for anyone when the patient can't speak English (or whatever the local spoken language is). Hugs to everyone involved.

Omnisti, hope things all work out for the best! Come back when you get a chance. :)

Oh no! Poor Cabal. :( He will have the best care, though. Whoever said he will be out of it due to painkillers (Sally?) is probably right, too.

Carpal tunnel-- probably the only job hazard of my profession, but almost all of my friends have it or have had it. I went through some really bad flare ups where I had to be braced all the time and be on painkillers. Worst is, since I own the business, and we were in SERIOUS startup mode then, I couldn't take any time off. I had to keep typing.

Eventually changing my desk, keyboard, chair, sleeping style, etc helped and I barely have any trouble at all now. Not sure if there's anything ergonomic musicians can do to help though? Maybe try to make the changes in your typing/computing environments so there's less strain overall?

Yes, kind of feels like a knife in my right hand, bow arm. Goes up to the elbow and then to the neck. I have a sports trainer who is helping, and bi-weekly massage therapy, with a masseuse who knows what is going on.

Par for the course, I can still play, and am doing everything right for it, but one does pay the price.

I am unfortunately all too familiar with the wrist tendinitis. 2 1/2 years and counting of not being able to work. Can't type more than a few words, can't open jars, carry anything heavy, do much of anything with my hands.

Rolfing has started to help me tremendously. It's amazing the change actually.

Q-- I think that's probably the worst thing about carpal tunnel, no one who does something enough to get it is willing to stop doing that thing!

Do your hands go to sleep? Mine were alternately pins and needles and stabbing pain for about a year. I took a LOT of ibuprofen and was working with a chiropractor who helped me learn stretches to help.

Oh, Q, and you have carpal tunnel on top of all this! I am feeling really bad and little sad for all that you have to do and how much of it must be tugging at your heart. I wish I could help. I wish I lived closer. (Of course, everyone could just move closer to me. Right??)

Ms. Fabulous, don't wait on your wrist(s) for as long as a close friend of mine did. She didn't do anything for her carpet tunnel problems until she sewed her hand to the dress she was making, and didn't realize it until she looked. That was with a sewing machine, too. Yes, she had surgery on her wrist. She even convinced the surgeon to do it with her under a local anesthetic and watching. ::shudder:: Not me, the two Cesareans I had were enough, and I darned sure didn't watch.

DataGoddess/Toni, my thoughts are with you and your family. I've been in a similar place, including the up and down.

Quichie, I know you have the sports therapist and massage, but a thought- Abbott Northwestern's Center for Health and Healing has an acupuncturist who has done amazing things for carpal. Might be worth a visit when you're in town.

I manage to keep it to a dull roar, but there have been a few time in my waitressing life when I couldn't feel the coffeepot I was holding or how hot the plates were.

Warm thoughts to Toni and family, everyone who is sick...and Cabal, of course!

And q, I'd second the acupuncturist idea for carpal tunnel, and also recommend myofascial work... works with the sheath surrounding the muscles, and can make a huge difference. Or somebody who does Alexander Technique...looking at body mechanics and evolving different ways touse your body when playing.

Oh Q, you have carpal on TOP of tendinitis? You have my utmost sympathies. I had the surgery on my right hand (thanks to a bad factory job) when I was only 21 and had to give up the guitar for good. Had a couple of go rounds with tendinitis too. All I can say is YEEEOUCH. It really does feel like a knife in the wrist that shoots pain up to your neck.I'm glad to hear you have a sports trainer AND a masseuse on the case, that should definitely help.:)

Oh, poor pup. And poor caretakers of pup. Keeping him down for six weeks when he was treating a broken leg as a minor inconvenience is going to be a trial, I'm sure. Like everyone else here, I'm fretting for him tomorrow morning.

I just realized i posted the "normal" comment on the wrong thread! I meant it for Dan but you can be normal too Lorraine :P

I hated it when everyone had an idea about how to fix my wrists, sorry for the deluge of advice! I put up with the pain in mine for a long time before they became unusable! And i'm still convinced there's a way to fix them somehow.

Hi Na and Ticia, thanks for the well wishes. The house has a few little glitches, like any house, I am sure. I don't have my room set up but I do have my bed... my old bed... for the first time in years...since I last left home actually and although I don't have my computer set up or even operable (I need to get a new motherboard)... I do have this nifty iPod that connects to our wireless and let's me send these posts.

Most of you looking have found me on Twitter - I lock my updates just so I can occasionally bitch about work, so don't be afraid to follow me if you find me - I'm DataGoddess there, too. And on Plurk, LJ, etc.

Cabal looks so brave in that last picture, like "I really want to go home with you, but I'll stay because you want me to." I hope you have success in keeping him quiet for the recovery period, Q. I think you have your work cut out for you!

Again, thanks for the thoughts, hugs, etc. Tonight's visit with MiL was much better than last nights, because now she's loopy on morphine. No pain, and we promised her that she won't be alone at any time. Her kids (there are 4 of them) are going to make sure there are always 2 people with her, so that if one needs to pee, sleep, whatever the other one is with her.

Sally, you dragon tempress. Fiendish fiends of the twittering kind. I was just starting to feel caught up with the online world when I learned to check the email box thing. I might could twitter, if Danth had the stretchy time going.

*teeth chattering* Too cold here. Headed for warm covers. You know, it's very cold in space. Fiends in Space? Fiends of the Carribean sounds much more appealing right now.

All the cats have come in, demanding food (AGAIN) and cuddles and are spreading grumbly comments on the fact that it's raining (damnit) and being out is not such a great fun.They are poking their noses in my tea mug, trying to poke their paws on my marmalade toasts too. if I am eating, how come they can't be eating too?(And there's me thinking I could have a quiet tryst with breakfast. Fool)

Aww Cabal - as if the poor guy hasn't been through enough in his life.I'll be ~vibe~ing the hapless goggie as well as your wrist, Miss Fabulous. Carpal tunnel is a bitch, to be sure - a friend of mine got tendinitis/going on carpal just from writing her thesis, and I'm sure you are straining your hands WAY more than she was! Take care, will you?

Sorry to hear about your poor wrist, hopefully it will get better soon. I've also heard acupuncture can be good for it.

Poor Cabal.

Our springer spaniel ruptured his cruciate ligaments in both hind legs a couple of years ago. He was only 2 years old and he had severe arthritis in both knees. The vet said he didn't know how he could still walk.

We had absolutely no idea he had arthritis until he ruptured his first ligament, because he was still running around like a maniac and still springing.

He also had his operation at the university and it was a great success. However, I think they could have built new wings on the building with the dollars we forked out for the operations.

While he was recuperating, we kept him in an enclosure in the daytime and at nighttime he was inside on a leash tied to whatever he couldn't drag or pull out of the wall.

Quiche - don't be macho about the wrist pain!! I know you're an incredibly strong person but your bod is giving you a message. I once shrugged off tendonitis as "eh, I can deal with it" right up to the point where I could not turn the key to start the car, open a door, zip my pants (couldn't grasp the zipper tab), hold a toothbrush or a hairbrush or tie my shoes. One day I woke up and my right hand just would not close around *anything*. It took several weeks to get to the point where I could even hold a toothbrush again. I thought I was invincible. I was not.

/lecture

Poor Cabal! Well-wishes his way, and good luck keeping him from bouncing around. Dogs seem to have an extra dose of enthusiasm built-in.

Poor Cabal, hope his surgery goes well. Lorraine, carpal tunnel and tendonitis? wow, pls. be careful - alot of my friends take glucochondroitis (sp?) which many swear eases joint/tendon/ligament pain. I am planning on getting some as my right thumb as ceased to operate without alot of pain, and is chronically swollen - due to pushing too much clay around (as I'm lefthanded I am grateful its my right). Hope the moving goes well Rubius! congrats on the new digs! Hope everyone else is doing well, real life is commanding me to dig in and work, so I have only been able to skim comments. Have a great day fiends!

I second the comment that dogs with lampshade collars are no fun. Much furniture gets moved and people sleep on couches. The family springer spaniel had a torn cruciate ligament - no fun, but afterwards she was good as new.

Hi Lorraine!Looks like Cabal is getting a TPLO? My dear boy Gabriel got one of the early versions of that repair back in 1995 or 96. It worked great and had him back to leaping, swimming, running and frisbeeing in fine form. Gabe passed away last year just a few days shy of 14 (which is a long life for a lab/rottweiller mix). He had a great life partially in thanks to the surgery that gave him back the use of his leg. It was worth every penny.hugs to you,Shelly

My dog has had two ACL surgeries in two years -- one on each leg. It isn't a walk in the park (disregard the pun), but with a regimen of Rymadil, gentle exercise and daily glucosimine doses, your dog will improve quickly. It took my dog about a year to recover from the first surgery when her other leg went bad. Now some four months later, she has made an even more rapid recovery. It breaks your heart, but as we were told, it can be a congenital defect. Not that it makes you feel better, but it might help to know that these things can just happen. Good luck.

One of my cocker spaniels tore his anterior cruciate ligament last Christmas Day. The hardest part was keeping him off it for the six weeks. Since cockers aren't large he didn't have to have the plate but rather has a large suture run in place of the ligament. He's fine now. :) I'm sure Cabal will be fine, but Neil and his family may be totally crazy by the time Cabal's recuperation is over!

New fridge's are fun, I go tone when I got my Spooky House, just a wee one, as there wasn't a lot of room if I wanted another door put in, but I am really just one person who is not there much for meals, so how big does it need to be? I have a freezer in the basement tho...

Watching Planet Earth, Fods that series was a good one...SEE it, if you haven't, amazing!!!!!!

Couching is good. So is flooring. I am trafficking on the freeway. And suddenly overwhelmed by loneliness, in spite of going to the studio in just a little while, where I will see friends. And in spite of Fiends. So irrational, but there it is. I think I'll take some deep breaths before I go into the studio. Couldn't hurt.

My brother's dog had what sounds like the exact same thing, and had to have surgery with a similar recovery. He is finally getting close to recovered, and just has a little bit of physical therapy left, which is to say, taking him on progressively longer walks. He doesn't mind, as he is a big active dumb black mutt who loves you. a real sweetheart.

His friend, a grumpy old, fat corgi, is much more skeptical about this "walking" malarky, and is not at all sure he likes the idea.

Anyway, my brothers dog is a big dumb sweetheart, and it was heartbreaking to see him in the early stages of his recovery.

I hope Cabal fares as well as possible. Give him lot's of scritches and snorgles, and I'm sure he'll be good as new.

Yes, guestrooms abound, but they are all on the second floor, and he can't do stairs, so we have turned the China room, as Maddy calls it, into a bedroom, and put a futon in there for sleeping. Very cosy it will be!

I wish Cabal and you all the patience of the world and my best wishes - my neighbour's extremely active Husky had these very same symptoms, surgery and wait-time and she came out of it healthy, happy and as (hyper)active as ever.